Officials hold talks to avert tribal war

By Dexter A. See

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Police and officials of Mountain Province and Kalinga are hastening negotiations to avert a tribal war between the tribes of Tulgao, Tinglayan, Kalinga, and Sagada, this province over the recent murder of a Tulgao-based businessman and his companion in Madepdepas, Sabangan.

The tension was triggered by text messages circulating in Kalinga and stating there is a need to avenge the loss of one of their tribesmen and the serious wounding of another during a hacking incident.

Senior Supt. Alexander Pumecha, head of the intelligence division of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera, said there is no truth to text messages being circulated in Mountain Province that a student and a gasoline boy were killed by Tulgao warriors to avenge the murder of their tribesmen and serious wounding of another.

Earlier, Eusebio Palok was killed, and Roy Maymaya was wounded when they were allegedly hacked to death by a certain Domingo Bangsoy, former barangay captain of Taccong, Sagada, Mountain Province during an altercation.

The two victims, who were members of the Tulgao tribe in Kalinga, were engaged in the sale of bolos and native woven products.